FIRST AID BEAUTY PHARMA RELIEF & RESCUE LINE

I’ve been a long-time fan of First Aid Beauty products because of how effective and mild their products are. They’ve been in the industry for over a decade now and they believe in creating skincare products that are catered to all ages, all skin types, and the brand was founded, Lilli Gordon. She wanted to recreate drugstore classics with more advanced formulations and luxurious consistencies. She believes in creating effective, irritant-free skincare that does not have greasy finishes. There’s pretty much a skincare line catered to everyone of any skin type from face to body care, you name it!

All of their products are allergy-tested and free of parabens, fragrance, and harsh chemicals, and perfect for even the most sensitive skin.

My first encounter with their products was back in 2013 when I first got into skincare and I had a lot of unexplained skin flareups and I was desperate in finding a product that could work for my skin. My face often would get really dry and it would really hurt so I gave the ultra repair cream a try on my face and within 3 days of continuous use and reapplication, my barrier was restored and I wasn’t in pain. Also, I would like to note that there is eucalyptus oil in this product so if you’re sensitive to do, please be aware and use it with caution. I personally had no negative side effects and am still using this product. I truly do believe their formulations are effective and they have a lot of frequent sales so definitely keep an eye out for them. Don’t forget to turn on your eBates/honey application to save extra dollars off of your purchase. These applications are available for both android and apple. You can find the extensions on google chrome web store. They’re absolutely free to download and they save you $$$.

I also have been using their cannabis + oat oil a ton and it’s so moisturizing and nourishing on the skin. It’s probably one of the most comfortable wearing facial oils I’ve used and I will repurchase it.

FAB Pharma Arnica Relief & Rescue Mask

Retails for $42 ~ 96.4 grams

What it is: A creamy, calming, and soothing leave-on mask that helps nurture stressed, dry, and irritated skin.

This is mask is ideal for those who have dry, dehydrated and normal skin. It combats against dryness, redness, dehydration, dullness and uneven skin tone. This product is also vegan, cruelty-free and gluten-free.

Key ingredients:
– Arnica Flower: A botanical extract said to help accelerate the skin’s natural healing process.
– Calendula: A flower extract derived from the English marigold, helps calm and soothe signs of distress.
– Centella Asiatica: A healing herb rooted in traditional Chinese medicine and rich in active compounds, including madecassoside and amino acids, helps soothe distressed, compromised skin.

Additional Facts: This nurturing mask, which was inspired by the pharmacy, helps relieve the appearance of redness, dehydration, irritation, stress, and tightness. The star ingredient, arnica, is said to have skin-supporting properties that help soothe and smooth. After use, the skin appears soft, supple, and dewy.

Full list of ingredients:

Aqua (Water, Eau), C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Glycerin, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Glyceryl Stearate, Behenyl Alcohol, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Cetearyl Olivate, Allantoin, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbitan Olivate, Sodium Polyacrylate, Pentylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Xanthan Gum, Tanacetum Annuum Leaf Oil, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Trideceth-6, Tocopheryl Acetate, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Solanum Melongena Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Colloidal Oatmeal, Calendula Officinalis Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Chrysanthemum Parthenium (Feverfew) Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ruscus Aculeatus Root Extract, Hydroxyphenyl Propamidobenzoic Acid, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Citric Acid, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Ethylhexylglycerin.

FAB Pharma Oat & Hemp Multi-Fix Salve

Retails for $44 CAD ~ 43 grams

What it is: This is a multi-purpose balm with 101 uses that treat skin emergencies and helps soothe, smooth, hydrate and protect. You can use this all over your body to treat cuts, wounds, scars and barrier care. This product is ideal for those who have dry, normal and combination skin types and it’s excellent to combat dryness, redness, and dullness.

Key Ingredients:

– Colloidal Oatmeal: A soothing ingredient that helps calm and relieve dry or distressed skin.
– Hemp Seed Oil: An emollient oil that is rich in omegas and helps calm, soothe and relieve distressed skin.
– Avocado Oil: A natural oil that helps hydrate, nurture, and softens skin.

Ingredient Callouts: This product is cruelty-free and gluten-free.

Additional Facts: Inspired by classic drugstore salves, this non-greasy, multipurpose balm is infused with oatmeal, hemp seed oil, natural butter, and waxes. This nurturing formula helps relieve irritated skin, cracked heels, dry patches, rough elbows, chapped lips, and windburn. Plus it tames eyebrows and smooths split ends.

Full list of ingredients:

Aqua (Water, Eau), Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Cera Alba (Beeswax, Cire D’abeille), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Colloidal Oatmeal, Cannabis Sativa Seed Oil, Squalane, Ceramide Np, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Allantoin, Solanum Melongena (Eggplant) Fruit Extract, Coccinia Indica Fruit Extract, Amber Powder, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Leaf Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Chlorella Vulgaris Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Corallina Officinalis Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Chrysanthemum Parthenium Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citric Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Propanediol, Sodium Hydroxide, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate

First Aid Beauty never fails to make fantastic products and I really am impressed with the list of ingredients for these and I’m excited to try them out for myself. If you guys enjoy these product showcases, definitely let me know so I can share more in the near future.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[REVIEW] IUNIK CENTELLA CALMING GEL CREAM

Centella Asiatica/Cica is taking the whole skincare industry and community by storm because it’s pretty much everywhere now. Whether it’s from abroad or even western beauty. I just bought a l’oreal revitalift cica and retinol cream recently at the drugstore. Iunik has been in the skincare game for about 2 years now and they’ve grown and expanded a lot from they first started as. They’re still one of my favourite brands to use in my skincare regimine because of their affordability and how excellent their products work for my skin. Alright, let’s dive into the review on this cica gel cream.

Claims

• iUNIK Centella Calming Gel Cream is a refreshing and moisturizing oil-free cream that makes the skin clearer and more vibrant.
• Enriched with Centella Asiatica Leaf Water 70% and Tea tree Leaf Water 10%, gently lowers skin temperature, effectively soothes and calms sensitive skin with blemishes.
• Lightweight gel texture containing 6 kinds of sprout extracts fully moisturizes the skin and helps relieve skin stress, creating clear, refreshed skin in a good condition.
• Whitening & Wrinkle Care Double Functional Cosmetics
• 6 patented sprout extracts
• Quick absorbing and acts as an amazing perfect makeup base

Key Ingredients

Centella Asiatica is a plant-based ingredient that has multiple healing properties. The extract is rich with amino acids, fatty acids and etc that can help treat and prevent acne, calming down skin inflammation and promote collagen growth.

Niacinamide is ideal for those with acne-prone and oily skin as it works to minimize sebum production for a more balanced complexion.

Adenosine is a yeast-derived ingredient that has soothing properties and skin-restoring agents. It also has anti-wrinkle benefits due to its ability to energize the skin’s surface creating a youthful appearance.

Hyaluronic Acid is a very well-known and popular ingredient that has some great qualities and benefits such as it can reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and also speed skin recovery. It also is fantastic for retaining moisture in the skin.

Ingredient List:

Centella Asiatica Leaf Water, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Water, Butylene Glycol, Water, Niacinamide, Phenyl Trimethicone, Cyclopentasiloxane, Cyclohexasiloxane, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Arginine, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, C12-14 Pareth-12, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Caprylyl Glycol, Brassica Oleracea Italica (Broccoli) Extract, Medicago Sativa (Alfalfa) Extract, Brassica Oleracea Capitata (Cabbage) Leaf Extract, Triticum Vulgare (Wheat) Germ Extract, Brassica Napus (Canola) Extract, Raphanus Sativus (Radish) Seed Extract, Allantoin, Centella Asiatica (Gotu Kola) Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Extract, Adenosine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Aspalathus Linearis (Rooibos) Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract

My Skin Type and concerns:

Combination | PIE | Congested | Dehydrated | (Occasionally) Sensitive

How to use: After using toner, apply a moderate amount to face and gently pat until fully absorbed.

My thoughts

There are a lot of beautiful ingredients in this product that are packed with skin relieving properties. I would be curious to know if whether they decide to release a cream version of this because I think it would be amazing for those who have dry, dehydrated skin. This gel-cream is more ideal for those who have combination, oily skin and for those who live in hot climates. I don’t think this would be enough for anyone who suffers from dehydration issues, however, that being said, it is a great gel-cream used as a topical treatment because it does instantaneously relieve the skin from further inflammation and redness does gradually go away after application.

The one thing that really throws me off about this cream is the essential oils. I have developed a sensitivity towards essential oils so I would prefer to stray away from them as much as possible if I could. I personally did not experience any adverse effects when using this product however, I would rather be safe than sorry with my skin.

Be aware that there is also dimethicone in this product and some people are sensitive towards that. I found this gel-cream not effective as a makeup base simply because it pills on the skin and it even pills when you apply sunscreen on top.

Overall

• Texture: 4/5 – Comfortable, lightweight gel formula however I just did not like it as a makeup base. As a skincare product, it performed fine.
• Scent: 4/5 – I personally did not smell anything, maybe a super faint citrus scent from the bergamot oil but I would prefer to stray away from essential oils because they’re quite sensitizing.
• Price: 5/5 – IUNIK products are always affordable and they have a nice range of choices to choose from so that is always nice.
• Performance: 4/5 – It worked fine but I cannot say if I would repurchase this. It’s definitely a product I would use specifically for the hotter season but definitely not all year round.
• Packaging: 3/5 – I like that it’s in a squeeze tube for hygienic reasons but I also do not like how difficult it is to squeeze product near the end. I’m only halfway through my bottle but it’s like pulling out teeth to get out just some product.
• Overall: 3/5 – Not for me but I know a lot of oily skin folks would really enjoy this gel cream and would appreciate it for it’s fantastic soothing and cooling effects. If you’re interested in trying this out, here are the following links to purchase them on.

Use code DORKIE1 at checkout to save on Yesstyle your purchase

Available here: eBay | Yesstyle

 

 

 

[REVIEW] COSRX HYDROGEL VERY SIMPLE PACK

Anyone who followed me long enough knows that I have this undying love for Kbeauty. Kbeauty has been a huge part of my skincare and beauty journey. Cosrx was one of the first beauty brands that I’ve tried and enjoyed. I did try a lot of Kbeauty skincare products when I was a teenager however, they were very irritating and inflamed. This has to be one of the first that did not irritate my skin and they’re super budget-friendly. I would say they’re quite accessible – you can purchase them at a lot of physical Walmart locations, Amazon, Yesstyle, eBay and etc.

Alright, onto the exciting part – the review and my experience with this product.

Claims

• These hydrogel cooling mask patches deliver instant skin relief to overheated, inflamed or irritated skin.
• These can be applied on cheeks and forehead as they are drenched in essence that contains a gorgeous blend of ingredients that provide moisture, soothing and hydrating results.
• The three-star ingredients are ceramide NP, Hyaluronic acid, Centella Asiatica.
• There are 60 patches in each container.

Key Ingredients

Centella Asiatica is a plant-based ingredient that has multiple healing properties. The extract is rich with amino acids, fatty acids and etc that can help treat and prevent acne, calming down skin inflammation and promote collagen growth.

Ceramide NP – This is one of the types of ceramides. This can improve the appearance and texture of dry skin.

Hyaluronic Acid is a very well-known and popular ingredient that has some great qualities and benefits such as it can reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and also speed skin recovery. It also is fantastic for retaining moisture in the skin.

*bold = nice ingredients, italics = to be aware of. 

Ingredient List:

Water, Glycerin, Calcium Chloride, Ceratonia Siliqua Gum, Xanthan Gum, 1,2-Hexanediol, Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Caprate, Butylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Chondrus Crispus Powder, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Seed Extract, Bambusa Textilis Stem Extract, Pinus Palustris Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Ceramide NP.

My Skin Type and concerns:

Combination | PIE | Congested | Dehydrated | (Occasionally) Sensitive

My thoughts

What I enjoy about these are they are excellent as a multi-purpose type of product where it can be used for skincare or makeup prep. I like to use these when my skin is feeling a bit inflamed or dry and usually do the try to give it hydration while calming down my skin. The only thing that turns me away from this product is the bergamot oil, I don’t understand why it’s there and it should be swapped out with a better ingredient. Niacinamide would be a nice replacement.

TIP: After cleansing, toning, apply these pads on your cheeks and leave them on for 10 minutes, when removed – pat the excess essence into the skin and carry on with the rest of your skincare routine.

Sunburn or skin irritation? no worries, refrigerate these and apply the pads on your skin, your skin should feel significantly calming and cool the moment the pad touches your skin.

Overall

• Texture: 5/5 – Great texture,  the hydrogel pads are not too thick nor are they too juicy where essence spills everywhere on the ground. They also don’t rip easily so that’s always nice. They also don’t slide off that easily like some hydrogel masks do.
• Scent: 4/5 – I don’t smell anything when using these but I will remove a mark simply because there is an unnecessary essential oil in this that is just for cosmetic reasons for the product. I think they should really reconsider reformulating this to unscented so that even sensitive skin folks can use this as well at ease.
• Performance: 4/5 – It does what it claims, I don’t have any complaints with it. I like how it leaves my skin feeling so soft and supple. It’s definitely something great to have.
• Packaging: 3.5/5 – I think the packaging is alright! It comes with a small set of tongs that can clip and great a grip of the pads for you without you digging your fingers in the container. I don’t have any issues with the packaging and how it functions. I think it would be safe to travel with these because I’ve traveled with these a few times and I had no issues with spilling in my bag.
• Overall: 3.5/5 – I wouldn’t say you need this in your collection, however, if you wanted this for a while or need something like this then buy it. For me, I can live without these and they’re likely not repurchase but that being said, they are a nice addition if you’re looking for some fun and soothing facial pads that are made of hydrogel.

Available here: Yesstyle | StyleKorean | Jolse

 

 

Disclaimer: I was given this product in exchange for an honest review. All views and thoughts of this product are my own. What may work for me, may not work for you so please keep that in mind.

 

[ROUTINE] My Current Evening Routine (Fall)

Hello friends 🙂 I realized I have never shared my routine and breakdown of it with you guys before. I thought this would be a fantastic way to share my current favourites and why I like these products. To keep things consistent and clear, I will be using stock images so you know what exactly it is and how it looks when purchasing the products. Some of my products had the labels rub off.

Cleanse

I always double cleanse every night because I usually wear sunscreen and makeup, so it’s crucial for me to get this step done first before I head on to my skincare routine.   Sometimes, I even triple cleanse and I add a micellar water as my first step to loosen all the pigment and makeup off my face prior to oil cleansing. I know, extreme but it is what it is. I like the bioderma sensibio micellar water. The products I have been enjoying for my double cleanse routine is the Innisfree Olive Cleansing Oil/Kumano Cosme Pharama act deep cleansing oil and also, the Youth to the People Super Food Cleanser. They’re both fantastic and gentle on my skin and I do not have any issues with them. Some cleansing oils can burn my eyes and also can be a bit harsh on my sensitive eye area, I find this really breaks down my waterproof eye makeup and face makeup really easily. I then follow up with my favourite cleanser of all time to clean off any remaining impurities off my face.  The cleanser has a pH level of 6, the overall feel of it resembles a silky, lightweight gel and foams up ever so slightly. It also doesn’t burn my eyes if I accidentally go too close to my eyes.

Tone

Alright, my favourite step all of all steps, toning! I am a big fan of watery, lightweight toners and that are not complicating.                                                                                                                                                                         I like mild and simple ingredients that soften my skin while leaving it feel hydrated. The top 3 toners I have been using alone or layered are the Unpa Cosmetics Bye Bye Cica, Tiam B5 and Keep Cool Soothe. I don’t seem to be as attracted to thicker toners as much as I use to before. On days where my skin needs more hydration and moisture, I like to use the Laneige Cream Skin Refiner. I own both the original and the mist form of it. I like the mist form for easy application but on days where I want to DIY mask, I would make a DIY mask using the Cream Skin Refiner. Check out my previous blog post review on my thoughts on it!

Serum

There are only 2 serums I have been using a lot in the evening and it’s the Skinfood propolis serum and keep cool soothe serum. During the day, I’ve been reaching for the good molecules niacinamide serum a tone but during the evenings, I have always leaned towards these two and because I want to clear my inventory of skincare, so I can start using my unopened products.

Moisturize

Almost near the end… There are 3 moisturizers I am altering around because it really depends and varies what my skin will need that evening. I’ve been using a lot thicker, richer moisturizers because we are transitioning into more colder weather here where I am so I like my to prep my skin prior to the drastic changes. I’ve been enjoying the caudalie sos vinosource, cerave moisturizing cream and finally, the etude house soon jung hydro barrier cream.

Out of all the 3 creams, the cerave has the thickest consistency which I absolutely adore because it acts as a seal, protective layer as it keeps my skin moisturized. This is a classic and although it may not be aesthetically pleasing, it’s simple and does the job. Plus, you get a ton of product in this. I had my jar for about 1 year and a half and I used it pretty much every day, whether on my face or body. It contains 3 essential ceramides and hyaluronic acid to restore the skin’s barrier as it locks in moisture and keeps skin protected. A delightful and affordable choice for those who are looking for a good moisturizer. This is 100% going to be a repurchase.

The Caudalie sos vinosource is a beautiful product and created specifically for those who have normal and dry skin. I have combination, dehydrated skin and I find it works just as well on me. It has grape water, grape seed, and squalane! This is packed with moisturizing, soothing and antioxidant properties in one cream. It is a tad more expensive than I expect it to be however, I do enjoy it. In case you were curious, the product is vegan, cruelty-free, gluten-free and comes in recyclable packaging. I’m not sure I would repurchase because there are a lot of affordable options out there I can explore and try out.

I got this Etude House Soon Jung Hydro Barrier cream as a gift and I must say, this took me by complete surprise as I had no expectations for it. The cream appears to be this light gel texture so I assumed it wouldn’t provide my skin enough moisturizing and hydrating benefits but to my surprise, it did and I find this is more ideal for weather that is in between summer to fall, perhaps even spring. This is a hypoallergenic gel cream and it has a pH level of 5.5, it is enriched with 92.2% hydrating, soothing and moisture-retaining ingredients panthenol and madecassoside. I don’t expect much from Etude House simply because they are well-known for their makeup. I don’t recall really enjoying any of their skincare products but this was probably the first.

Sleeping Mask *optional

There are days where I like to be extra with my skincare and there will days where I could careless and will do the bare minimum for my skin. Whatever works for you, right?

So there seems to be a lot of misconception in the Instagram beauty community where they see a sleeping mask as a moisturizer. Sure, a sleeping mask can potentially have moisturizing, soothing and hydrating properties, however, from what I learned, a sleeping mask is a final step to your skincare routine; which means this comes after your moisturizer to seal the skin and lock in all those previous steps in.

I’ve been loving the Laneige cica sleeping mask. This is a skin barrier strengthening mask that can help improve skin’s strength. It also is hypoallergenic and free of 9 harmful ingredients. I purchased this off Jolse and have been hooked, I use it every single day and I think I have about 30% left.

 

*Some links on this post are affiliate links. This means that I will earn a small commission if you purchase from these links.

 

 

[REVIEW] CERAVE RENEWING SA CREAM

Who said thick creams are strictly for winter? I suffer from very dehydrated skin. Although I have combination skin, it’s still possible to have that issue. Cerave has been one of the most life-changing brands that I came across late last year. I was struggling with seasonal eczema and nothing I used worked for my skin except for their classic moisturizing cream, formulated with ceramides, fatty alcohols and hyaluronic acid. It wasn’t the most glamorous looking however, it did the job; better than any high-end product I’ve tried. One 500ml tub cost me around 15 CAD( I got this during a sale) but they normally range between 20~26, varying where you purchase it.

Cerave was kind enough to send over their renewing SA line. The first product I will be sharing with you is their cream. This is specifically to help prevent and reduce the appearance of recurrence of dry, itchy and inflamed skin. Sounds like the dream, huh? It doesn’t matter what time of the year it is, my body is forever dry and quite flakey.

340g ~ price may vary where you purchase it. See links below.

Available at: Shoppers | Well.ca | Amazon

Claims

• With ceramides 1, 3 and 6-II
• Salicylic acid softens and smoothes skin
• Lactic acid exfoliates
• Non-comedogenic
• Fragrance-free, hypoallergenic
• Gentle, non-irritating formula

Ingredients

Purified Water, Glycerin, Behentrimonium Methosulfate and Cetearyl Alcohol, Mineral Oil, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Ammonium Lactate, Salicylic Acid, Triethanolamine, Cetyl Alcohol, Niacinamide, PEG-100 Stearate, Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3 in Corn Oil), Ceramide 3, Ceramide 6-11, Ceramide 1, Cholesterol, Phytosphingosine, Hyaluronic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Dimethicone, Methylparaben, Edetate Disodium, Propylparaben, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Carbomer, Xanthan Gum.

My thoughts

Initially, I was worried that this cream was going to be too thick for me. I wanted something a bit more lightweight however I had a couple moments where my skin’s barrier was compromised; it felt so rough and parched so I turned to this to see if it could help and it really did. With continuous usage for over 2 months, I saw a significant difference in my skin’s overall health and appearance. You can see how much more glowy it is, plump and hydrated. I would recommend this to those who suffer from dehydration, irritated and textured skin.

Overall

• Texture: 5/5 – This is ONE thick cream, folks. If you’re not a fan of thick creams, stray away but I personally have grown to love thick creams all year round.
• Scent: 3/5 – There is a faint medicinal scent to it but it goes away after a few minutes so don’t worry about it lingering.
• Performance: 5/5 – Works like a charm. Cerave has never failed me and I will continue to support and purchase their beautiful products.
• Packaging: 4/5 – Practical and functions perfectly fine. Although I do prefer it being in a tube form for hygiene reasons, I don’t like digging my fingers in products so I have to use a spatula every time to scoop out the product.
• Overall: 4/5 – Fantastic find and product. I think Cerave deserves more love especially for a drugstore brand that is reasonably priced. Who said you need to invest big bucks in skincare? You’d be surprised what you can find at the drugstore and what it can offer for your skin’s needs.
  

  Disclaimer: I was given this product in exchange for an honest review. All views and thoughts of this product are my own. What may work for me, may not work for you so please keep that in mind. Some links on this post are affiliate links. This means that I will earn a small commission if you purchase from these links.

   

 

[REVIEW] GASTON CUSHION

 

 

Gaston does it again with another cute product. This time they decided to create a cushion compact! The one thing I admire and enjoy about cushion compacts is although it may have makeup components to it, it also has skincare benefits such as brightening, anti-aging and even spf!

This cushion has this luxurious appearance to it because of the gold accents to it. The cat logo is iconic and is just adorable! I was one of the very first international influencers to collaborate with Gaston and I am grateful to be able to be working with them. The first debuted with their beautiful eye patches. Both clear and black eye patches were just fantastic. They contacted me to see if I would be interested in trying out their cushion compact. I chose the shade #21 because I’m #21 for other brands such as Missha, Hera and etc.

Available on: 31box

My Skin Type and concerns:

Combination | PIE | Congested | Dehydrated | (Occasionally) Sensitive

Claims

• Has SPF 50+ PA++++
• Provides Anti-aging and whitening properties
• Conceals and covers blemishes and creates the appearance of healthy and radiant skin
• There is a slight cooling sensation when first applied onto the skin
• Contains moisturizing essence and moisturizing oil to create that healthy skin appearance
• There is a pink beige undertone to this to help brighten the skin
• The ruby cell antibacterial puff is made in Japan and created the top-notch materials that are highly acid and alkali resistant.

Key ingredients

• Red Ginseng Extract – helps with skin elasticity, moisturizing and protects the skin from UV damage
• Bamboo Sap Extract – antioxidant that can prevent and slow down the process of aging
• Royal Jelly Extract – this is one of the richest sources of vitamins, amino acids, and protein! Perfect for countering the signs of skin inflammation and promotes cell renewal.
• Centella Asiatica Extract – a plant-based ingredient that has multiple healing properties. The extract is rich with amino acids, fatty acids and etc that can help treat and prevent acne, calming down skin inflammation and promote collagen growth.
  

  Overall

  • Texture: 5/5 – The formula for this cushion is really nourishing, rich and dense. Some cushion formulas are really light in feeling and have not much colour pay off.
  • Scent: 5/5 – There is a scent to this however, it’s not overpowering and quickly goes away.
  • Performance: 5/5 – Although it’s a richer and thicker formula, it’s quite long-wearing. I had little to no touch-ups with this and it did not oxidize on my skin. I found it very comfortable to wear and it didn’t feel like “makeup on the skin”. It just felt like I put a really nice facial oil that happens to have coverage to it.
  • Packaging: 5/5 – It’s super cute! I love GASTON’s logo because it’s fun and adorable. It looks luxurious in a way because of the gold packaging. I love the technology behind the cushion’s formula and rubycell puff.
  • Overall: 5/5 – I’m very pleased with this product, I honestly had no expectations nor did I know what to expect because they’re a new company and I’ve only tried their eye patches. It’s incredible! This is probably going to be one of my top cushions picks simply because it works and has an amazing amount of coverage. I found this quite close to my all-time favourite moonshot balm cushion.
  • Available on: 31box | My Precious Cosmetics

[PART 1] Understanding Your Skin + My Experience (How I Learned to Understand My Skin)

Hello friends! I hope you all are having a fantastic week so far, today’s blog post is going to be a bit different from what I normally post. I wanted to step aside from my usual weekly review posts and try to share some tips and my experience with my skincare journey. I hope this can help you.

The beginning…

How I got into skincare, what made me want to make the change…

I was never too serious about my skincare game until I reached my early 20s. I use to rely on makeup wipes and just a cleanser to do the trick however I wasn’t wearing that much makeup back then so I can give myself some slack for that. Between the ages of 15 to around 20, all I used was a foaming cleanser, toner, and moisturizer. Remember those drugstore skincare gift sets? Neutrogena? Olay? Yeah, I got those as gifts so I would use those. I actually got into skin care when I noticed changes in my skin around when I was 22. My skin was not as clear/healthy as it was during my late teenage years. I also had a terrible history of picking my acne in my early teenage years where they would scar up. During the time, it didn’t bother me but man, I quickly regretted it as I got older. Around the age of 23, I started to introduce double cleansing into my routine and also serums. Just adding double cleansing in my routine was a huge game changer itself simply because it removed so much makeup off my face. I almost felt disgusted to think back all the previous years of not removing my makeup properly. Anyway, why dwell in the past when you can make a change moving forward, right?

My skin type and concerns…

is combination, dehydrated and PIE. I have very mild texture and some blackheads on my nose that can be very difficult to get rid of.

My early skincare sins

We all make mistakes and learn from them.

I stated one of my skincare sins and that was not double cleansing earlier but honestly, during that time – the learning tools that people had back then were mainly on youtube and even YouTubers made mistakes as well. I remember I would reference an entire regimen a youtube shared because I thought it was best for my skin type. Keep in mind that Youtube back then was a whole different ball game than it is now, there were a lot of amateurs who were enthusiasts and also all about DIY.

One of the worst products I used on my skin that I’m almost for sure damaged my skin was St Ives. Apricot Scrub, and I’m almost positive you have heard or have seen this before. This product has probably been around for decades and to be quite frank with you, I don’t see this effective by any means as a facial scrub; Perhaps it would be more effective as a body scrub of some sort.

Another skincare sin I used to do quite a bit was to wipe and towel dry my face with a used towel. Now, I don’t mean like a week old but I’ve used the towel at least once or twice and have been guilty of using it again. This may seem harmless but all the trapped bacteria, oil, and gunk from the previous use are likely to still be on it. It’s always good to towel dry with a fresh, clean towel. I would suggest you buy 5-7 facial towels/cloths for your face and wash them once a week so you have a fresh towel every time. They’re relatively affordable and you can find them pretty much everywhere. I get mine from Miniso and they usually come in cute little patterns or characters on them.

Don’t believe everything you hear, are suggested and see…

We need to keep in mind that youtube/influencers/peers are not medical professionals who can assist you with your skincare needs. You would have to go visit a dermatologist and have a proper consultation because as much as you love and trust your peers, their feedback and suggestions may not be right. The last thing you want is to damage or irritate your skin because you used the wrong product on your skin; your skin is so fragile and you should treat it with respect. This is not limited to skincare only, diet is very crucial and even environment can have irritants to irritate the skin.

Take a closer look…

Whether you have the time now or not, I want you to look at your skin closely and describe to yourself what you see. Texture, spots, patches, dryness, oiliness, redness, dehydration, whatever that might be and write it down on a piece of paper. Of course, there are skin types and I’m sure most of you understand or have an idea what your skin type may be but these are skin conditions. You need to be specific on what you see to be able to understand what you can do to treat your skin.

Here are some examples I would ask myself.

Example:
You see spots on your face.
The questions you should be asking:
Are they different colours?
What colour are they?
What region of the face are they in?

You have oily/combination skin but you have dry patches on certain parts of your face.
The questions you should be asking:

The more specific you are, the better because the chances of you being able to find images on online that match to your skin condition are higher. I’m not saying to self diagnose your skin condition but to have a better understanding of what it could potentially be. I know not everyone can afford the time and money to see a dermatologist so it’s better to do research and have some understand than none whatsoever.

My current skincare sins

I am still quite guilty for still doing these from time to time. I still rub my face against a towel to dry my face after cleansing and I still take scorching hot showers because I can and I will. I know it’s bad for you and dries out your skin terribly but that’s probably the only skincare sin that I will continue to do. From time to time, when I see a breakout appear and it’s raised… I have the tendency of trying to pop it if a pimple patch does not resolve it.

What I know so far and I have I’ve been treating my skin:

I’ve learned to exfoliate 2 times a week and not to do it so frequently. I’ve been also avoiding overusing/or using any AHA based products in general because it can do more harm than help my skin. The last thing I want is to have a weak or broken barrier then having to repair it because we all know how much that can be a pain.

Here is the list of products I have been using and have been working out for me:

• Kose Softymo Speedy Cleansing Oil / Commleaf Cleansing Balm
• Youth To The People Kale Cleanser
• Unpa Cosmetics Bye Bye Cica Toner
• Klairs Supple Preparation Unscented Toner/Tiam B5 Toner
• Iope Bio Essence Intensive Conditioning Essence
• First Aid Beauty Retinol Eye Cream
• Florishe Camellia Full Blossom Serum (get 10% off your purchase click here.)
• Klairs Vitamin Drop Serum
• CeraVe Moisturizing Cream

If you have any questions or wanted to know something I did not cover in today’s post, please feel free to drop your suggestions below! Til next time, bye for now!

 

 

 

 

 

*Some links on this post are affiliate links. This means that I will earn a small commission if you purchase from these links.

 

 

[REVIEW] Rovectin Cica Care Balm

Hello, friends! I’m back with another review this week and this is a product I have been using for little over a month now and wanted to hop on here to share my feedback and thoughts on it. I also wanted to thank Jin for sending this to me to try and review for you all.

 

40 ml ~ price may vary where you purchase
$25 ~ $27

Available on: Yesstyle | Amazon | Style Korean

Firstly, I would like to thank Jin & Sungman from Rovectin for sending over some goodies for me to try. This was the first product I tried out because it really caught my attention. I feel that Hyaluronic Acid was a very popular ingredient last year but this year, I believe cica is somewhere on the top well-loved ingredients in skincare. I mean, what’s there not to love about it? It’s well-known for its multiple healing properties; it is rich with amino acids and fatty acids that can help treat and prevent acne, calming down skin inflammation and promote collagen growth.

Claims

• Reduce and calm down skin rashes that develop during the menstrual cycle period
• Able to clear skin texture from pimples
• Reduce the appearance of rosacea
• Reduce traces of skin scarring and troubles during the teenage years

Features

• An active “Barrier Repair Complex” hydrates sensitive skin while strengthening the barrier of the skin.
• This is free of paraben, mineral oil, artificial fragrance and coloring, and steroids.
• This contains Calamine and high-concentrated Madecassoside to soothe and calm skin sensitivity, ex: acne, inflammation, and redness.
• The high-concentrated Madecassoside has the ability to reduce and gradually removes skin blemishes while promoting skin cell regrowth for a more healthier, glowy complexion.
• Madecassoside has the ability to skin barrier while calming inflammation through it’s potent antioxidant properties.

Key Ingredients:

• Calamine – is very commonly found in skin spot treatments. It has soothing and anti-inflammatory effects. The natural pink raw ingredient gives this product that gorgeous hue to it.
• Madecassoside – is fantastic for healing and fading the appearance of scars and promotes skin cell reproduction. This is highly concentrated in this product and in powder form rather than the diluted liquid extract that is commonly found in a lot of skincare products.
• Barrier Repair Complex – Skin lipid ingredient and reinforces the skin barrier by repairing it and protecting it.

Ingredients

Water, caprylic/capric triglyceride, propanediol, glycerin, sorbitan stearate, stearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, 1,2-hexanediol, vinyl dimethicone, glyceryl stearate, trehalose, centella asiatica extract, hydrogenated lecthin, arginine, lavandula hybrida oil, madecassoside, lavandula angustifoila (lavender) oil, hydroxyethyl acrylate/sodium acryloyldimethyl taurate copolymer, sorbitan laurate, calamine, synthetic beeswax, phytosteryl/octyldodecyl lauroyl glutamate, behenyl alcohol, carbomer, glycol stearate se, betaine, cetearyl alcohol, stearic acid, glyceryl acrylate/acrylic acid copolymer, xanthan gum, protease, disodium edta.

My Skin Type and concerns:

Combination | PIE | Congested | Dehydrated | (Occasionally) Sensitive

My thoughts

The first thing I noticed about this balm, was how small it was. I honestly was expecting it to be triple the size but unfortunately, it’s quite small. The reason why I expect more product was because this is a kind of product where you can use as a spot treatment or throughout your face. I really like how there was no noticeable scent to this but if you look at the ingredient list, there are two kinds of lavender essential oils. If you’re sensitive to essential oils, please be sure to do a patch test prior to applying onto your face.

Overall:

• Texture: 5/5 The balm has this really faint pink hue to it, it may not be as noticeable on your skin but if you look inside the tube, you’ll see the colour. This is way better than what I expected it to be, I thought it was going to be an extremely thick balm consistency where it doesn’t squeeze out so easily from the tube. I basically expected it to be similar to the glossier’s balm dot coms but thankfully it wasn’t and was more of a soft gel x balm texture. When you apply this on, you’ll notice it has a really pleasant and wearable mattifying finish to it.
• Scent: 5/5 It has a very subtle lavender scent, you will barely notice it. As I experiment with more skincare products, I realize I like fragrances but not necessarily in my beauty products; If I can avoid them, I would. They can be potential irritants. Overall, this product did not irritate my skin so I personally had no issues with this. I just wanted to share this for those who are sensitive to essential oils to keep this in mind.
• Price: 3/5 This is kind of expensive for my budget and I see this as “premium” skincare pricing for the amount of product that you get. I mean, if you use this as a spot treatment, then you’re set – it will last you for a while before you need to repurchase but if you use this for your entire face all the time, you will likely finish it up a lot sooner.
• Performance: 5/5 It does exactly what it claims and says, I have zero complaints about this department. My skin feels so much softer and my breakout inflammation has dramatically reduced after 4 days of continuous use. Sometimes pimple patches don’t the job for me so I’m glad I have a product like this to turn to when my skin is in need of help. The most fragile region on my face has to be my nose; I often blow my nose and product gets wiped off my face so that tends to be the first area that usually starts to crack up and get really dry. This balm repaired and sealed up my broken skin barrier within 3 days of continuous usage!
• Packaging: 5/5 It’s super simple but I really like how easy it is to read; It’s not too busy looking and you can easily identify it. I also like how travel-friendly it is. Basic isn’t always bad especially for skincare, I really appreciate when brands make things more easy to use and find.
• Overall: 4/5 I’m very satisfied with the results this balm has given me but I’m not quite sure I would repurchase this but I will follow up with you all on Instagram stories if whether I will or not. I think it is worth a shot for those who have skin inflammation where you want to reduce. This is a fantastic spot treatment, I’ve specifically used this on inflamed regions on my face and I can see a remarkable difference the following day. The redness and raised bump gradually gets smaller from continuous usage. I actually prefer this product over the famous cosrx centella blemish cream; don’t get me wrong, I like it but not as much as this balm because this balm offers multi-functional purposes and really did a fantastic job maintaining and protecting my barrier from weakening. I found the cosrx blemish cream left an unnecessary white cast (does contain zinc oxide) on my skin while this balm glides on seaminglessly and looks like my skin. I would recommend this to those who have dry, dehydrated and inflamed skin.

 

 

*Some links on this post are affiliate links. This means that I will earn a small commission if you purchase from these links.

[REVIEW] Commleaf Zero Made Green Cleansing Balm

Hey, hey friends! I’m back to present to you another review this week. Apologies for skipping out on a post last week, I had something prepared but the images did not turn out the way how I wanted them thus not having any sunlight was really bothering me. Anyway without a further or do, let’s hop onto the review for this product!

Commleaf kindly surprised me with their new zero made cleansing balm and I wanted to come on here and share with you all what my thoughts are on it.

Available on: eBay | Yesstyle | Jolse | Commleaf

Price may vary where you purchase this product from.
120 ml

Claims

• Cleaning with natural ingredients – soft cleansing with natural vegetable oils.
• Moist cleansing – Mild, comfortable cleansing for tired skin.
• Perfect cleansing – cleansing for both colour and base makeup.

Features

• All ingredients are EWG 0~2, green grades that ensure hypoallergenic skincare for safe use. Artificial scent and pigments are excluded from their 7-free system for skin safety.

Key Ingredients:

• Green tea seed oil – contains powerful antioxidants that can protect the skin from damage caused by UV radiation and free radicals from the environment.
• Argan oil – hydrates, reduces the signs of ageing and control the skin’s balance.
• Vitamin tree oil – contains various vitamins that assist with skin brightening and is also an antioxidant and promotes wound-healing.
• Neroli oil – has multiple skin healing properties. It is an antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving. This is typically used to treat against pimples, acne and to reduce the appearance of redness.

My thoughts

I really appreciate cleansing balms that are gentle and mild to the extent where it does not sting or aggravate the eyes. I’ve used cleansing balms in the past that have done that and my lashes would even fall out too. Which was insane! If I do recall, it was the hope girl grapefruit cleansing balm that did that to do me. This cleansing balm not only is mild but removes the most stubborn waterproof eye makeup. This is definitely something you should invest in because nothing is worse than sleeping with makeup residue.

Overall:

• Texture: 5/5 – It a sorbet-like balm and really reminds me of the farmacy green clean cleansing balm in a way. It’s soft and spreads really easily into the skin.
• Scent: 3/5 – I’m not too crazy about the scent however if you own the herbivore blue tansy mask, this cleansing balm smells exactly like that mask. I personally do not mind the scent however I know some people would be bothered by this natural scent.
• Price: 5/5 – You get quite a bit of product in this and need a small amount everything when using. It’s a lot cheaper than the farmacy green clean which retails for $44 CAD for only 90 ml.
• Performance: 5/5 – I’m impressed! I tend to prefer cleansing oils however I find this a fantastic substitute and also very nourishing. It does not leave any strange residue, scent behind nor does it break me out. This would be perfect for those who travel as well because it’s in balm form. I wear waterproof eye makeup every single day because I can never get away with just regular eye makeup without it smudging on me. I had very little expectations for this balm initially because I personally did not think it would remove any of my waterproof eye makeup; turns out, I was terribly wrong. The waterproof eye makeup I wear can be difficult to remove at times so I didn’t expect using this balm alone would be able to remove anything. It actually broke down the makeup off my face really nicely and I had very little residue left. Afterwards, I go in with my favourite foam cleanser to remove the excess residue. Viola! A fresh face and all clean ~
• Packaging: 4/5 – Simple. It’s not the prettiest packaging however, it’s very easy to read and find in your collection. I have a lot of things in my skincare stash and I often have trouble finding things I need to find. This isn’t too big nor bulky and easy to find because it’s appearance.
• Overall: 4/5 – I’m very pleased with this product and will continue to use it till the end. In fact, I actually was considering purchasing a backup however I need to start getting in habit of using up my products prior to buying backups. You know someone is excited about a product if they need a back up of it. I do hope that commleaf does not decide to discontinue this gem. Jolse has weekly sales + deals so be sure to check out their deals. They also offer free international shipping so be sure to take advantage of that! Waterproof makeup wearers, I highly suggest you check this gem out; you will not be disappointed in what it can do!

 

 

*Some links on this post are affiliate links. This means that I will earn a small commission if you purchase from these links.